BOARD OF GOVERNORSHappy 35th birthday, BOG!

The Board of Governors (BOG) was established in 1982 as the grassroots member network within the Academy and is 35 years old this year!

What is the BOG?

The BOG is composed of members from otolaryngology constituent societies — local, state, regional, and subspecialty/national groups from across the U.S. and Canada. It serves as an avenue of communication between Academy members and the Board of Directors to help improve the programs and policies of the AAO-HNS/F.

What Have We Done for You? The AAO-HNS/F Leadership Forum & BOG Spring Meeting

At the Leadership Forum in March, we addressed the topics that affect everyone’s practice. These topics included: how to value diversity in our specialty and in our clinics, mentorship, leadership skills, payment issues, legislative updates and advocacy, MIPS, Reg-entSM, cultural competency, and society engagement. At the same time, there were ample opportunities to network with the leadership of our Academy and ask questions directly to the candidates for AAO-HNS/F President-Elect. The meeting featured the BOG General Assembly, an ENT PAC Reception for Leadership Club members, exhibitors, and free CME credit. If you have suggestions for the 2018 Forum, please contact BOG@entnet.org.

What Else Have We Done for You?

At the March meeting, the BOG sponsored the inaugural State OTO Society Roundtable, where we engaged local, regional, and state society administrators/executive directors and presidents to exchange ideas and best practices on society engagement and member engagement. If you or someone from your society is interested in joining us next year, please contact BOG@entnet.org.

We continue to supplement our society toolkits with resources we can provide to state, regional, local, and specialty societies to help build and maintain these groups. This includes access to a virtual society tool that allows for online meetings in place of in-person meetings due to geographical constraints or busy clinical schedules. Contact BOG@entnet.org for additional information.

Our next BOG meeting is Saturday, September 9, starting at 10:00 am (CDT), in Chicago. We will discuss the current legislative and political environment, explore ways to address the needs of the general otolaryngologist in the Academy, fine-tune our society engagement resources, and update attendees on MIPS, payment issues, and more. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with your colleagues and give us your input. You do not need to have a formal position in your society to attend — just an interest to further engage!

Here’s to wishing the BOG a happy 35th anniversary and many more years of successful grassroots leadership!